New
friends who make poor decisions and are not interested in school or family
activities

Changes to a different style in dress and
music

Attending parties with no parental supervision

Some of the warning signs listed above can also
be signs of other problems. Parents may recognize signs of trouble but should
not be expected to make the diagnosis.

Consulting
a physician to rule out physical causes of the warning signs is a good first
step. This should often be followed or accompanied by a comprehensive evaluation
by a mental
health professional.

To help teenagers grow into healthy adults, parents and
youth workers need to teach them how to take responsibility for their
behavior, their values, and their lives. Dr. Townsend gives important
keys for establishing healthy boundaries --- the bedrock of good
relationships, maturity, safety, and growth for teens and the adults in
their lives. Boundaries with Teens offers help in
raising teens to take responsibility for their actions, attitudes, and
emotions.

More Information

An
Addict's Story: What's at the Root of Addictions?
~ The factors that lead a person into addiction are rooted in childhood. They
are: feelings of unworthiness and shame, anticipation of being rejected, the
belief that no one will come through for them so they must rely on themselves,
and the addictive agent is their greatest need for pleasure, relief, and/or
distraction from pain. These factors feed off each other.

Consequences of Youth Substance Abuse ~ Young
people who persistently abuse substances often experience an array
of problems, including academic difficulties, health-related
problems (including mental health), poor
peer relationships, and
involvement with the juvenile justice system. Additionally, there
are consequences for family members, the community, and the entire
society.

Family Factors Contributing to Risk and Resiliency
~ Substance abuse is the result of a complex interaction of
individual, family, peer, community, and societal factors. A
consistent global finding is that substance abuse runs in families.
A family history of drug abuse and dependence substantially
increases the risk for such problems among members.

Relationships Matter: Impact of Parental, Peer Factors on
Teen, Young Adult Substance Abuse
~ The influence of family and peers on adolescent substance abuse
has been well documented in the scientific literature.
Generally, positive family influences, such as family bonding and
consistent rules, appear to reduce the risk of tobacco, marijuana,
and other drug abuse among teens, while negative family influences
tend to increase risk. The same is true of positive and
negative peer factors. Little research, however, has been
conducted to see how parental and peer factors interact to influence
adolescents' initiation to and young adults' use of drugs.